I know that this topic has been brought up frequently, but since this forum has been a bit slow lately, I shall bring it up again .So my morning started out by meeting at our spot at 5am and bringing all the gear out to the X. We go and park our trucks a few hundred yards away from our spot ( hidden by a trailer on one side and standing corn on the other) . We walk back and set up 20 full bodies and a few silhouettes . Its now 5:25 and we are getting ansy. 5:45 rolls around and were getting a little jacked up, then out of no where we see a few sets of headlights. Now we are hunting a huge farm ( 800-1000 tillable acres) and are on a little 3-4 acres piece of grass land. So, a few hunters show up, and park about 100 yards away. We had already set up in the middle of the field, that gave us the best chance possible to do a little shooting. So a buddy and I walked over to the hunters and asked them how they planned on setting up (we were extremely nice, I even invited them to hunt WITH us) he stated that they were going to shoot the east west, which, if they had gotten the opportunity, would have been directly at their vehicles (which the brain surgeons parked about 70 yards from where they set up, IN PLAIN SIGHT, IN THE FIELD!!!) and also directly at the farmers barns approximately 120-140 yards out. So being the nice guy that I was I didn't put up a big fight about it, just got his name and license plate number. Anyways, long story short, they set up about 60 yards from us, aiming their guns at the barn and vehicles. Well, this has happened to us before, Arseholes show up at or after legal hunting time, and have no problem setting up right on top of us! Well luckily, we ended up putting a little show on for them! We had one flock come in, and dropped 5! ( I was expecting to see more, but some group within a mile or so was doing a lot of shooting ( starting at 5:30)...I have a sneaking suspicion they didn't get the memo on when duck hunting starts, however, maybe they were just in the place to be? So my questions are... 1. What are these people thinking? Do they have no conscience? Is there anyone on here that thinks that showing up at legal hunting time and setting up on top of someone is legit? Or am I just over thinking this? How do you guys deal with these types of people?And the worse part about this whole thing for me is that one of the gentleman had their kid with him, maybe 13-15 years old, and essentially is making him believe that that is how duck/goose hunting works...just set up on top of people, aim at cars and barns.... it really "grinds my gears" Just figured I would share my morning.. still had a great time, epic sunrise, good friends, and put a few birds on the ground to boot!

I didn't even think about the northern zone opener, that makes perfect sense. And yes, once deer hunting starts up the herds will thin out... I also blame some of these morons on "duck dynasty" and some of the actual hunting shows, for bringing us the most uninformed group of hunters for a specific group of animals.. I meet and see people all the time that watch a few episodes of these shows and think they know everything about waterfowling, (not saying I do!!) But atleast do some dang research and mind your manners when in the field! Maybe im just grumpy today haha. Well I hope everyone had a great day and God Bless!

It is a sad thought to know that these people can legally hold a lethal weapon in their hands and feel free to do as they please, while ticking everyone off in the process.... Not going to be out opening morning this year... Sad but true:( have to work, but hopefully knowing a lot of different secluded spots on the lake will get me away from these morons

The worst thing about missing isn't the ridicule from your buddies, its the disappointed look of your dog

I've been fortunate in that I've only had a scenario like that happen to me once. It happened to be this year on opening day and was interesting to say the least. I'll spare everyone the story, but I will say that it had a similar ending to yours. The guys who showed up in our field really weren't jerks- just didn't understand the extent of what they were doing. Kids were involved too. Once my buddy and I snagged our limit, we actually tried to get out of the field somewhat quickly in hopes they would at least get a few birds. I know most of you know this already, but PLEASE- if you reach a field or waterway and discover someone has already set up (or is in the process of doing so), simply leave and find another spot. Not only is this a courtesy to the individual or party already there, but you will benefit from this decision as well. While I can't remember ever being beat to a spot in the morning, we always try to have a backup plan if needed. The fellow we ran into on opening day did not- and he told us that straight up. He felt he had no other option for he and his sons because he assumed nobody would be in the field when he arrived.

We rarely have problems with someone coming in on us when we hunt water but when they do, I try to help them determine our exact position with my million candle power spotlight! I simply hold the beam on them until they indicate that they've seen me by motoring out of the area!! Very effective unless they happen to have a bigger spot!!

What I find most annoying is the jerk offs that arrive at 5 minutes before legal, then spend 1/2 hour getting set up!

What's miffed me most this early goose season is that I discovered there are a couple guys doing street clothes, goose creeping on one of the fields I scout and hunt. I scouted a nice group there only to come back the next day and not see a bird. We got the answer to the mystery when a neighbor of the field called my buddy at 5 pm and told him 2 guys had just fired 4 shots after coming out of the woods. Of course, ground shooting sitting geese at 150 yards is fairly ineffective but it does annoy them enough to leave that field for a day or two.

As was previously stated by others, deer season helps eliminate many of the problems.. Then the cold usually will thin out the nimrods some more. After Thanksgiving, you've pretty well got it to yourself!

When you get to be my age, it's always a race to see if you'll piss inside or outside of your waders!!

Seaductor wrote:What's miffed me most this early goose season is that I discovered there are a couple guys doing street clothes, goose creeping on one of the fields I scout and hunt. I scouted a nice group there only to come back the next day and not see a bird. We got the answer to the mystery when a neighbor of the field called my buddy at 5 pm and told him 2 guys had just fired 4 shots after coming out of the woods. Of course, ground shooting sitting geese at 150 yards is fairly ineffective but it does annoy them enough to leave that field for a day or two...

I had that happen at three locations this year. Sorry but, jump shooting a field is not goose hunting. It is in most cases not an ethical.shot either.

I had that happen at three locations this year. Sorry but, jump shooting a field is not goose hunting. It is in most cases not an ethical.shot either.[/quote]

I could not agree more with you. I know some people that do very well creeping up on unsuspecting birds, I personally don't get any pleasure from that (yes I have tried it before ) I much prefer setting up, having a plan, and watching birds do exactly what I want them to do (this sometimes does happen ) There is something about birds working into your spread, reacting to your calling, committing , landing gear down, having no idea of your existence until you pop up and start shooting! I think they call it HUNTING or something like that...

I agree that having a plan B is key and that you shouldn't set up on top of someone else...

That said, a bit of patience isn't out of line. I have also been that guy who showed up ten minutes before shooting time and walked up on someone fully concealed waiting for that first group to come in. I immediately turned around and left and went on to plan C (it was a rough morning that resulted in one common merganser taken from plan D). No harm no foul, when someone walks up on you look at it as a teaching moment, we all have to learn sometime...

I love that you invited them to join you, thats the way it should be...

Absolutely! No reason to rude in return in the case of an honest mistake (which is pretty easy to determine). I've been that guy myself and I wish them luck and move on. Sometimes 'Plan B' isn't so bad. Here is a 'Plan B' hunt I did with Maineducker a couple years back:

One time I met up with some guys in the middle of a foggy grass field. At first I thought they were poachers who had jacked a deer or something! We had entered the field from different sides. I invited them to join me and had decent hunt. Most days however I am hosting my family and adding even more people is not possible. Here is the result of the foggy morning hunt:

Fairly common problem in Southern Maine unfortunately. Hunting, fishing,ice fishing, whatever, some A$$clown is going to come setup right on top of you. It gets tougher and tougher to deal with the influx of people from "Away" where it is apparently a common procedure to set up on top of someone. Getting up early enough to beat them is'nt always good enough.

had this happen more this year then ever. I think its duckdynasty side effects. had some young adults claim they had a blind 50 feet in front of me and I was going to have to slide down if I wanted to hunt there. unforuately I was with a first time hunter. showing them the sport. we got showered with lead and tree branchs over our heads knocked down in the firs 5 minutes. cant say the wardens give a sh!t cus I called to have them go check them out. setting up on people, shooting 5-6 birds before even considering going to go look for them. three days later I finally get a call.